Chandler Burr Untitled Series Moving to Lucky Scent in 2014!

[Redneck Perfumisto]

OK, people - some very good news here. Chandler Burr has just announced this publicly - the Untitled Series will be moving from OpenSky to Lucky Scent. :thumbup:

Here is his announcement:

Hi guys. The Untitled Series is moving from OpenSky to Lucky Scent (www.luckyscent.com) in 2014.

We think it’s going to be a great new home, and the next episode of Season 2, S02E02, will launch on Lucky Scent. You’ll find a clean new page layout, well-ordered episodes, easy comments, easy ordering, and reliable shipping. The team at OpenSky has been great and put their all into the series, but OpenSky’s model has changed a bit from when I launched the series, and Lucky Scent and I are tailoring a platform that'll be terrific.

We don’t have the 2014 re-launch date yet, but we’ll be letting you know as soon as possible when the Untitled Series will arrive in its new home. Any questions, ask away.

best to all of you,

Chandler

I'm just going to come right out and say it - I think this is very good for the project. While OpenSky made up for all the problems, there were still a LOT of problems. Clearly they weren't really set up for the fragrance thing.

Lucky Scent? HA! They can do this with their eyes closed. I think this is *more* than a smart move.

I talked to Chandler about the timing of the reveal on S02E01 and the release of S02E02. It's still uncertain, but definitely early in 2014. Personally, I hope it's after Grant gets all our old threads back up. I would really like those for reference. But in any case, there is a LOT of good change going on behind the scenes.

SO - all you people who got scared off by problems with OpenSky - P-L-E-A-S-E come back. Season 2 is going to get the infrastructure that this project and these magnificent scents deserve!

Season Two on a solid platform! One more thing to be thankful for on Thanksgiving! :beer:

 

[hednic]

Thanks for the news about this. Something to look forward to.
(947)

 

[Darjeeling]

And they ship to Japan

I've been following the threads so far, and even been inspired to test a couple of the scents (Eau de Lierre and Sel de Vetiver, I'm looking at you) which I loved.

 

[Kagey]

How did Open Sky's model change?

I think it's great news. Hopefully everything will run a lot more smoothly now.

 

[Redneck Perfumisto]

And they ship to Japan

I've been following the threads so far, and even been inspired to test a couple of the scents (Eau de Lierre and Sel de Vetiver, I'm looking at you) which I loved.

Great point! Thanks for that, Darjeeling!

I just realized that Chandler copied me on this list from Lucky Scent:

http://www.luckyscent.com/ship_countries.asp


INTERNATIONAL COUNTRIES

The list below displays all countries where we are able to ship. If your country does not appear in the list below we are unable to fulfill your orders.

Aruba
Australia
Austria
Bahamas
Barbados
Belgium
Belize
Bermuda
British Virgin Islands
Bulgaria
Cambodia
Cayman Islands
Channel Islands-UK
Chile
China
Croatia
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Estonia
Fiji
Finland
France
Germany
Gibraltar
Grand Cayman-Cayman Islands
Greece
Greenland
Holland-Netherlands
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Jamaica
Japan
Korea (South Korea)
Liechtenstein
Luxembourg
Macau
Malaysia
Martinique
Montserrat
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Northern Ireland-UK
Norway Norway
Oman
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Poland
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Romania
Singapore
Slovak Republic
Slovenia
South Africa
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Turks and Caicos Islands
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
U S Virgin Islands
Wales-United Kingdom

VERY nice. Chandler mentioned that they had to turn down a LOT of people overseas on OpenSky. We both agree that this is going to have a big impact on the project.


- - - Updated - - -

How did Open Sky's model change?

I think it's great news. Hopefully everything will run a lot more smoothly now.

I'm a bit curious about that, too. I know that OS did a massive restructuring partway through this thing, which blew away Chandler's web stuff and made a lot of links go dead. But frankly I sense a bit of diplomacy in that statement. I get the feeling that OS had a vision of what they thought they would like to be, and that they adjusted to reality after opening up, making some of their initial promises impossible to keep.

Hope this makes it far easier for you to participate now! :happy:

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks for the news about this. Something to look forward to.
(947)

You are most welcome, hednic!

 

[deadidol]

This is great news! Heard about it a few days ago, and it's a very smart move!

Congrats to Chandler for keeping it going through the snafus of OpenSky :vrolijk_26:

 

[chandlerburr]

Hey, guys. People have asked about Open Sky--when they started it was 100% curator driven. All of us OS curators found our own products and wrote about them and it was extremely personal. When they changed, it was OS that found the products, we curators were just supposed to "like" things they had, and it went extremely impersonal. I was the only guy still doing all the selecting and presentation myself on a site that was no longer designed to do that. That was the cause of almost all the problems. Luckyscent can, as Red pointed out, do this with their eyes closed. It's perfect.

And I'm really glad for all your enthusiasm!! I've got the next two all lined up and ready to go...

C

 

[Redneck Perfumisto]

Hey, guys. People have asked about Open Sky--when they started it was 100% curator driven. All of us OS curators found our own products and wrote about them and it was extremely personal. When they changed, it was OS that found the products, we curators were just supposed to "like" things they had, and it went extremely impersonal. I was the only guy still doing all the selecting and presentation myself on a site that was no longer designed to do that. That was the cause of almost all the problems. Luckyscent can, as Red pointed out, do this with their eyes closed. It's perfect.

And I'm really glad for all your enthusiasm!! I've got the next two all lined up and ready to go...

C

Wow! Yeah - I hear you about that. That's like a flexible blogging platform turning into Facebook. UGH. Not nice. Hope Lucky Scent is going to give you some leeway to make things interesting!

 

[dougczar]

Now that it's moving to LS, I think I'll be signing on for this! Glad to hear about the move - I was not a fan of the OS website and bombardment tactics.

 

[james1051]

For those who don't know (like me), what is the Untitled Series?

 

[Redneck Perfumisto]

For those who don't know (like me), what is the Untitled Series?

Sorry - most of the associated threads with all the action are still in Huddler format, waiting to be merged into the forum!

In this project, which is organized like a serialized TV show (Season NN, Episode MM), Chandler Burr picks out a monthly mystery fragrance for us to sniff without being influenced by the label. Hence the name, Untitled. The scent is almost always some highly respected designer or niche scent, though they tend to be non-obvious. You would be surprised how much uncertainty removal of the label adds. We get to sniff it without knowing what it is, but Chandler may set the stage by pointing out some aspect of artistic merit. The discussion goes where it wants to go. We always avoid "outing" the fragrance, if we figure out what it is, although that is a side-game to the one of trying to "get" the art criticism that Chandler is teaching. No spoilers allowed - we will encode our guesses or provide a link.

We are now on Season 02, Episode 01, which is running with a bit of a delay, to accommodate the switch to Lucky Scent. At the moment Chandler is ready to go, he will do a video reveal of the scent S02E01, and Lucky Scent will begin offering S02E02 for sale. The scents are always priced better than when you buy them in the store, it seems. Basically you're buying an unknown decant, and paying for the experience of a scent without expectations.

There will be a very descriptive thread full of links at the start of the next episode - many of your questions will be answered there.

Irina has been keeping track of everything in a group, but most of her work is still in Huddler format, so it's not all there yet. Still, it may help.

http://www.basenotes.net/group.php?groupid=94

Hope you join us for the next episode!!! :beer:

 

[james1051]

thanks

 

[Brian_Towers]

This is great news, well done Chandler!

 

[gtsb]

I was also nervous about participating on a platform that I didn't really know but this is a different game entirely... nice work!!

 

[katebensley]

I am beyond excitement!! ~~~ loved The Untitled, loathed the Open Sky ~~ what ever is going on over there. So glad The Untitled has not been abandoned. Thank you Chandler for sticking with it!!!! Chandler and Alyse from OS were great, really great, but the ball of confusion that is Open Sky was a mess. And who doesn't love Lucky Scent?! Who? I have complete confidence and will jump in as soon as it is available to us. --jumped at Open Sky every time too, always resolved just frustrating.

Can not wait!

 

[Redneck Perfumisto]

I am beyond excitement!! ~~~ loved The Untitled, loathed the Open Sky ~~ what ever is going on over there. So glad The Untitled has not been abandoned. Thank you Chandler for sticking with it!!!! Chandler and Alyse from OS were great, really great, but the ball of confusion that is Open Sky was a mess. And who doesn't love Lucky Scent?! Who? I have complete confidence and will jump in as soon as it is available to us. --jumped at Open Sky every time too, always resolved just frustrating.

Can not wait!

I agree - the OpenSky people are extremely nice folks, but somebody always seemed to find a way to mess up every episode. Some things just aren't meant to be, and this project on that platform was one of them. Wishing both OpenSky and Untitled the best of luck in going their own separate ways, unencumbered by each other's incompatibilities.

 

[rogalal]

Cool! It was a bit of a source of frustration but ultimately a positive that Chandler used fresh batches in the first season, so even if you recognized a scent, you could never be really sure because the just-made juice never quite smelled like stuff that had been sitting in our collections. It kind of forced us to get past trying to guess what it was and really focus on the art criticism aspect of the game. It's nice to see that it's back!

 

[Redneck Perfumisto]

Cool! It was a bit of a source of frustration but ultimately a positive that Chandler used fresh batches in the first season, so even if you recognized a scent, you could never be really sure because the just-made juice never quite smelled like stuff that had been sitting in our collections. It kind of forced us to get past trying to guess what it was and really focus on the art criticism aspect of the game. It's nice to see that it's back!

Completely agreed. I have to be honest - this whole thing has been a wonderful exercise for my nose in multiple ways. I almost feel like I could get an industry job in QC after dealing with these fine differences, which are really just a minor side aspect of the true focus, which is - as you say - the art criticism.

Exciting that it will be back on, but also glad we're getting a breather here, during the busiest part of the year. I think that is fortuitously good timing.

 

[chili_willi]

I checked to see what S02E01 was revealed to be (Tom of Finland) and noticed that Open Sky apparently still has a few bottles because they're listed in red as clearance items. 15ml for $35? Doesn't seem like much of a clearance to me.

 

[joev]

What is this? How do you know you're not buying something you already own?

 

[chili_willi]

What is this? How do you know you're not buying something you already own?

You don't. It's about experiencing a fragrance without outside influences, like advertising or internet hype, to sway your opinion. I have been in on two of them so far and for me one was a hit and one was a miss. I hope he is able to get some more obscure stuff after the move to Luckyscent in 2014. I won't participate in all of them but I'll definitely follow them through basenotes and maybe participate in a couple or three. I really like the idea because almost all of my "to test" scents are recommendations from this site and I have a pretty decent idea what to expect when I try them. Blind sniffing is more adventurous.

 

[Primrose]

Thank you for the update, Red.

 

[Redneck Perfumisto]

Thank you for the update, Red.

You're welcome! :beer:

I've owned at least a couple of the scents, and was moved to buy one because of the test, as well. I have found it very helpful to smell slightly different batches of scents I own. It really shows that a great fragrance isn't so much a point in smell-space, as an island of varying size.

Tom of Finland? Cool! I need to go check that out pronto!

 

[Redneck Perfumisto]

Here is the reveal....

Leather? I can see it. In fact, now that I know the background of the scent (just google "tom of finland" !!!), I realize why the leather has a kind of artificial / clean / monomer / rubbery / plastic quality to it - it's clearly supposed to be more fetish and less equestrian.

I know that Bulgari Black is sometimes classified as a leather - there are certain distant similarities. BB is one of my faves, but ToF is clearly a great scent, too. And very potent - surprisingly potent.